Refrigerator door construction



July 2, v I w p DODGE I, REFRIGERATOR DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. so, 1958 Z SheetS-Sheet 1 Inven tor:

W. Paul Dodge,

b 1 6. film/M I y His Attovney.

July 2, 1940.

W. P. DODGE REFRIGERATOR DOOR CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 50, 1938 Inventor:

9 x a flwl His Attorney.

W. Paul Dod Patented July. 2, 1940 REFRIGERATOR DOOR CONSTRUCTION William Paul Dodge, Erie, Pa., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application August 30, 1938, Serial No. 227,518

'1 Claims. invention relates to a refrigerator construction and. more particularly to door sealing means for refrigerator cabinets.

Objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize. my invention will be pointed out with particularityin the claims annexed to and forminga part of this specification.

For a betterunderstanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1. is a front view of a refrigerator cabinet embodying my invention, Fig. 2 isan enlarged view partly in section of a portion of my refrigerator and Fig. 3 is an. exploded view of details illustrating my invention.

I have'provided a refrigerator cabinet in which the walls and door comprise inner .and outer metallic shells with insulating material therebe-- tween. The space between the shells is closed by a breaker strip. In accordance with my invention, I have provided a gasket on the door or the wall of the refrigerator adjacent the. door opening which has an apron concealing one edge. of the breaker strip so thatrough-sawn breaker;

strips may be used and the grinding operation which is now required to improve the appearance of the strips may be eliminated. My invention also contemplates the formationof a channel in the side of the gasket lyingagainst the outer. shell and a rib or plurality of projections or.

ears ontheouter shell for engaging the channel in the gasket. This construction co-operates with the apron to reinforce the gasket so that a in position by means of retaining strips I6 of any suitable material such as rubber or metal, for example. The inner shell I3 is provided with an inwardly directed flange I! while theouter shell I4 is provided with a flange I8 in substantial alignment with flange I'I. Suitable heatinsulating material I9 is inserted in the space between the inner and outer shells.

In order to support rigidly the inner and outer shells of the cabinet in the desired space relationship, the shells are connected by a plurality of spacers within the construction. These spacers are preferably of non-metallic, non-hygroscopic material to minimize heat loss between the shells. The retainer strips I6 are roughly S-shaped, comparatively rigid and extend the full length of the breaker strip. Therefore, lips 22 on the retainer strips I6 serve to hold the breaker strip against the shells and also to conceal the edges of the breaker strip I5. Screws 2| are provided at each end of breaker strips I5 to secure the retaining strips I6, the breaker strip I5 and spacers 20 in the proper relationship with the shells l3 and I4.

The construction of the door I2 is similar to that described above in most respects. I have provided an inner shell 23 and an outer shell 24 with suitable insulating material 25 therebetween. The inner shell23 is provided with an inwardly directed flange 26 while the outer shell is provided with a flange 21 having a lateral extension 21a in substantial alignment with flange 26. In forming the lateral extension 21a the outer shell is bent back upon itself to form a groove 28 around the edge of the door.

In order to retain the shells in the desired spaced relationship, a plurality of spacers 29 is employed of the same material used for the spacers 20. A breaker strip 30 serves to close the opening between the inner and outer shells. Breaker strips I5 and 30 are formed preferably of non-metallic non-hygroscopic material. Resinous products, such as those known under the trade names Bakelite, Textolite, etc., are well adapted to this purpose. The inner edge of breaker strip 30 is supported in position against.

inner shell 23 by means of a retaining -strip I 6. The outer edge of the breaker strip 30, however, extends part way across the groove 28, thereby forming a recess for the retention of the anchoring bead 32 of a door sealing gasket 33 of suitable material, such as rubber for example, having a striking bead 33a.

Gasket 33 is provided with an apron 34 which conceals the outer edge ofthe breaker strip 30. I have provided a longitudinal channel 35 in the opposite side of the gasket 33. A plurality of ears or lances 36 is shown struck-out from the flange 21 of the outer shell 24 which are adapted to engage the channel 35, thereby co-operating with the apron 34 to reinforce the gasket along the entire length of the breaker strip. By properly positioning the projections 36 the apron 34 will be pressed tightly against the breaker strip 30 throughout the length thereof. Bythus providing" agasket having a portion-thereof arranged to cover an edge of the breaker strip and means for engaging the gasket in the vicinity of the concealing portion or apron adjacent the breaker strip, such as a groove in the side of the gasket opposite the apron and one or -more suitable projections on the outer shell, I

am enabled to use a relatively light gasket which conceals the edge of the breaker strip, thereby improving the appearance of the assembly,and yet provide 'sufficient' support for the "breaker strip throughout its length to permit reduction of the number of screws required in the past to secure the breaker strip in place between the inner and outer shells.

It will be obvious that instead of punching out the ears or projections 36' a plurality of separate projections may be secured to the flange 21 in any suitable manner as by welding or, if desired, a rib extending around the door opening might be provided for engagement with channel 35. It will also be obvious that if projections 36 are provided, a plurality of depressions might be provided in the gasket 33 instead of the channel 35 for the retention of the projections 36.

Screws 3| are provided at each end of each door .breaker strip 30 for assembly purposes.

While I have shown and described my invention as applied to specific refrigerator construction, I do not desire my invention to be limited to the particular construction shown and described and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a refrigerator cabinet including a door and walls of the type having inner and outer shells joined by a breaker strip, sealing means for sealing the space between the door and the walls defining the door opening including a gasket having a portion thereof engaging a breaker strip, a channel in said gasket adjacent said breaker strip, and reinforcing means projecting from the outer shell into said channel.

2. In a refrigerator cabinet including walls and a door of the type having inner and outer shells joined by a breaker strip, sealing means including a gasket having an apron on one side thereof for engaging a breaker strip, a channel in the opposite side of said gasket and adjacent said breaker strip, and means projecting from the outer shell for engagement with said channel.

- 3. Sealing means for sealing the space between the door and walls of a refrigerator cabinet of the of said gasket engaging one edge of said breaker strip, a channel in the-opposite side of said gasket and adjacent said breaker strip, a projection extending from said outer shell for engagement with said channel.

4. Sealing means for sealing the space between the door and walls of a refrigerator cabinet of the type having inner and outer metallic shells with insulating material therebetween and a breaker strip'iof low heat conductivity closing the opening "between said shells,'in'cluding a gasket, an anchoring portion on said gasket, a groove in said outer shell adjacent the outer edge of said breaker-strip, said breaker strip extending part way across said groove to form a recess for retaining said anchoring portion, an apron on one side of said gasket extending across a portion of said breaker strip,a channel in the opposite side of said gasket and a plurality of projections exbreaker strip of thermally resistant material closing the opening between said shells, a retaining strip engaging one edge of said breaker strip, a groove in said outer shell adjacent the other edge of said breaker strip,-a door sealing gasket, said gasket having an anchoring bead adapted to be retained in said groove, an apron on said gasket extending over a portion of said breaker strip,

said gasket also having a depression adjacent said breaker strip in the side thereof which engages said outer shell, and a projection on said outer shell for engaging said depression.

6. Sealing means for sealing the spacebetween the door and walls of a refrigerator cabinet of the type having inner and outer metallic'shells withgheat insulating material therebetween and a breaker strip of low heat conductivity closing the opening between said shells, including a gasket having a striking bead, a portion of said gasket being arranged to conceal an edge of said breaker strip, and means engaging said gasket in the vicinity of said portion for reinforcing said gasket.

'7. Sealing means for sealing the space between the door and walls of a refrigerator cabinet of.

the type having inner and outer metallic shells with heat insulating material therebetween and a breaker strip of low heat conductivity'closing the opening between said shells, including a gasket having a striking bead, an apron extending from one side of said gasket for concealing'an edge of said breaker strip and means on the other side of said gasket for'reinforcing said gasket in the vicinity of said apro I W. PAUL DODGE. 

